Things to Do in Poole in June: Football, Tennis and a Community Summer at The Dolphin
If you’re looking for things to do in Poole in June, you’ve picked a good month. The football lands first, the tennis arrives close behind, a couple of new names have opened their doors on the mall, and GATHER carries on doing what it does best. June at The Dolphin is shaping up to be one of those months where the centre stops being just somewhere to shop and starts being somewhere to be.
Here’s what’s coming up, who it’s for and how to make the most of it.
The World Cup comes to The Dolphin (from 11 June)
From 11 June, World Cup 2026 takes over. We’re showing matches on the big screen so you can catch the action while you’re grabbing lunch, doing the shop or just passing through. No tickets, no fuss. Just walk in.
It’s the kind of thing that makes a Tuesday afternoon feel like an occasion. Bring the kids. Bring a friend. Sit down with something from Dolphin Street Food upstairs and watch a match unfold with a bit of crowd around you.
If you’re trying to work out what’s on when, the What’s On page will have match dates and screening times closer to kick off.
Wimbledon fortnight, served with strawberries and cream
The tennis takes over while the footy is still on. Two of the biggest sporting moments of the summer overlapping, both playing out at The Dolphin.
We’re marking Wimbledon with a proper British summer treat in partnership with Kaspa’s Desserts. Think strawberries and cream the way they should be done, served up in the heart of the centre while the action plays out on court. Weekends only, so make a Saturday or Sunday of it.
It’s a small thing done properly. The kind of moment people remember and tell their mates about. Bring the family in, sit down, watch a bit of tennis, eat something good. That’s the whole brief.
New names on the mall (and a few more on the way)
Opal Beauty is now open
Just thrown open its doors next to Timpson, opposite Primark. Opal Beauty brings a fresh face to the beauty offer at The Dolphin and they’re settling in nicely. Pop in to say hello on your next visit.
More to come over the summer
A few exciting new names are getting ready to join the line up. We’re keeping the details under wraps a little longer but trust us when we say it’s worth keeping an eye on the centre over the coming weeks. If you want to be the first to know, our newsletter is the fastest way to hear about it.
You can also follow what’s landing on Instagram where new openings tend to get announced first.
GATHER carries on doing what GATHER does
Tucked away on the mall, GATHER is the bit of The Dolphin that most people don’t expect. It’s a free community events space and the programme runs all the way through June. Workshops, pop-ups, makers, fundraisers, the lot.
If you’ve never been, the easiest way in is just to drop by on a Saturday morning when something’s on. You don’t have to book, you don’t have to commit. You can sit down for ten minutes and see what the space feels like. People who come once tend to come back.
A few of the regulars to look out for through June include the Craftaholics Makers Market on the first Wednesday of the month, the Buttons and Bows Makers Market mid-month and the weekly Arts and Crafts drop-in for anyone who fancies a creative hour with no pressure.
Charities use the space too. Past months have hosted partners like Routes to Roots, MYTime Young Carers and Amelia’s Rainbow. If you’re running a community project and you’re looking for a home for it, GATHER is open to applications.
Things to do in Poole in June beyond The Dolphin
Plenty going on in the wider town too. The Quay is at its best in early summer, the harbour ferries are running properly again and the longer evenings make a difference to everything from a Friday after-work pint to a Sunday afternoon walk.
Worth checking out alongside a trip to the centre: the Visit Dorset events listing for Poole, the BCP Council What’s On page, and any of the harbour-side bars and restaurants that come into their own at this time of year.
The Dolphin sits in the middle of all of it. Free parking, indoors when the weather turns (it will), and a programme of its own running alongside everything else happening in town.
More things to do in Poole this summer
June is the warm-up. July and August are when the summer really lands and we’ll have more to share on family activities, school holiday workshops and the bigger Street Food line up. If you want to stay on top of it, the newsletter is the easiest way to keep up.
In the meantime, here’s how to make the most of June:
- Catch a World Cup match on the big screen from 11 June, free to walk in.
- Make a weekend of Wimbledon with strawberries and cream from Kaspa’s Desserts.
- Drop in on GATHER for a workshop or market and see what’s on that week.
- Say hello to Opal Beauty if you haven’t already.
- Sign up for the newsletter so you’re first to hear about the names landing later this summer.
Looking for more things to do in Poole in June? Follow @thedolphinpoole on Instagram and Facebook for the latest. We’d love to see you in the centre soon.